Author: Matt Foster
AI To Replace the Workforce?
AI is set to replace 16% of the US workforce by 2030. 16% may not sound like much, but in 2023 numbers, that’s over 25 million people without work or in need of new training and help with career pivots! With a number that big, here are some of the opportunities for those who have […]
Discovering Creativity in Everyday Moments
Whether I’m on a beach watching the waves, stargazing while on night watch at sea, or just picking up the guitar between blog posts – I’m also seeking ways to discover creativity in everyday moments. I figured it might be worth sharing a few ways to find creative inspiration in your everyday life. Creativity in […]
Embracing Change as the Currency of Life
Change is a constant in life. Often, change can be intimidating or uncomfortable. Believe me, I know. In the past 5 years, I’ve changed from school administrator to full-time digital nomad. My areas of expertise went from designing curricula and supporting teachers to traveling oceans and helping schools and small businesses find new horizons for […]
How Artificial Intelligence Will Replace Schools
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every aspect of our lives, from health care to entertainment. But what about education? Will AI replace schools and teachers in the near future? The answer is not so simple. AI has the potential to enhance and personalize learning for students, by providing adaptive feedback, customized curricula, and interactive simulations. […]
4 Ways to Boost Creativity
Creativity – LinkedIn lists it as the number 1 job skill. School taut it as a top aim of education. Cultures value it as the cornerstone of art and entertainment. But how is it nutured? Per usual, this blog aims to give actionable ideas. So let’s avoid the philosophy and get to the tactics. Here […]
The Good and Bad of Ruts
Everything we know about learning suggests that there’s a cadence between routine incremental knowledge refinement and the breakout of new conceptual awareness. Knowledge Refinement. So when you’re at work and you feel like you’re in a rut, consider whether you’re at the maximum of your growth or whether you’re just emotionally bored. The daily routine […]
Ostentation as a Requisite for Modern Work?
In a recent article (link below) from The Economist, the headline states: The rise of performative work It’s not what you do. It’s how ostentatiously you do it The article discusses how remote work demands employees to be performative – to look like they’re working. Let’s take the premise – It’s not what you do. […]
Where the American Dream Goes Wrong
Hoping you have a great 2022! Here’s a simple opinion post. Where the American Dream Goes Wrong The Dream = Happiness in Things: College Education, Gain Career, Work Hard, Buy House, Buy Cars, Buy Vacations, Pay Down Debts, Keep up Appearances, Save for Retirement Wrong: Buy House, Fill Your House with Stuff, Buy Cars, Buy […]
Starting Over is Smart
Imagine climbing a mountain your whole life only to make it 2/3 of the way up at the age of 70. You look up and notice the peak is still steep and far away. But the nature of life is that you also know time is limited. It’s further to go back down and find […]
Where in the World is the Mafost Blog?
On sabbatical. It’s a part of a planned half-time. If you haven’t planned your half-times (learn about it here), I highly recommend it. Not just for a refresh, not just for a creative boost, but for an increase in results. So while I’ve been sailing the high seas, half-time has been in full mode with […]
Ditch That Textbook, A Failed Hoax
Look, it sounded great back in 2005 and 2010 to ditch that textbook. Folks made good money off of the idea and there are good reasons for it. Heck, I’m guilty of helping many teachers on my campuses move beyond textbooks and into embracing digital platforms – moves that resulted in increases in student engagement […]
Anchor, Focus, and Align
My friends over in the Principals Masterclass (TJ Vari and Joseph Jones) taught an invaluable lesson on communicating with candor. In that lesson, they gave three concepts to use when giving feedback. These concepts also apply to communicating to a broader audience. Anchor. Focus. Align. We’ve been talking about story-telling this week here and again […]
I’m Not A Cat, The Second Story
The I’m Not a Cat Zoom call is so relatable. It, in some shape, has happened to each of us. And the lessons are many. Regardless of the stories we tell, there’s always going to be a second story. The second story is the one our audience hears, and it could be vastly different than […]
Story Telling
You have a story. Your team has a story. Your organization has a story. You are uniquely positioned to tell that story and craft that narrative. But if you do not tell your story, someone else will. While most stories are positive, if someone else is telling your story, it might have unintended negative consequences […]
The Case for Curiosity
If you have a strong desire to know something, it’s much like any other strong desire humans have – the desire to eat, to drink, to breath. Once that desire takes place, there’s no obstacle that’s too large. It’s curious then, that not one single teacher preparation program has a course on curiosity. It’s curious […]